Aeroplane



March 4, 1930. 'B. MESSICK 1,748,987

AEROPLANE Original Filed July 20. 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet l B. MESSICK March 4, 1930.

AEROPLANE Original Filed July 20. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 B. MESSICK March 4', 1930.

AEROPLANE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 m A n w M 6 A .av 0 6 M 3 wm h viii? w fi 1 Patented Mar. 4, 1930 PATENT oFFicE Bnn'r mnssrcx, or Limsme, moment AEROPLANE- Reflle for abandoned application Serial I 1929. Serial The present application is a substitute for application Serial No. 44,683, filed July 20, 1925, which application was forfeited F ebru-' ary 22, 1928 for failure to pay the final fee.

This invention relates to aeroplanes, and especially to the wing construction thereof, its object being to secure high carrying capacity relative to the power of the aeroplane and to give such stability to the plane as will adapt it eminently to transporting ofpassengers or freight with great steadiness and ease of control and admit of the extending of the weight along the length of the ship to greater extent than is usual in aeroplanes as at present constructed.

Thesaid invention aims to apply the gliding principle to powered aircraft to a greater extent than has heretofore been the practice by providing a main plane which extends longitudinally of the aeroplane to an extent stiibstantially greater than the span of the ane.

p The invention further contemplates the provision of such a rearwardly elongated airfoil wherein the forward and rearward parts thereof extend in longitudinal lines approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aeroplane and the intermediate part of the said airfoil is inclined rearwardly and down- 3 wardly of the said forward part to the rear part thereof which approaches the said longitudinal axis more closely than does the for? ward part of the said airfoil,'the center of gravity of the said plane being somewhere beneath the said forward part of the airfoil.

A further object of the invention is to provide a longitudinally extended, main airfoil wherein the greatest area thereof is provided above the center of gravity of the aeroplane.

The intermediate portion declines toward. the

longitudinal axis of the aeroplane to the rearward-portion which is approximately parallel to the said axis, the said airfoil tapering in its span from the forward portion thereof to the trailing edge.

The invention still further contemplates the combination of the main airfoil of the nature referred to of a second airfoilthereunder on each side of the fuselage of the aeroplane, which second airfoil. approximately No. 44,683, filed m 20, 1925.

This application filed April 12, N0. 354,67L'

conforms to the contour of the undeside of the main airfoil and extends from the forward end thereof to a point approximately intermediate of the declining portion thereof.

Still further objects subsidiary to' or resulting from the aforesaid objects, or from the construction or operation of the invention as it may be carried into effect, will become apparent as the said invention is hereinafter further disclosed. I

In carrying the said invention into effect, I may provide an aeroplane having a fuselage and a mainv airfoil elevated above the sald fuselage and comprising a girder or spine of substantially greater length than the span of the airfoil, said girder including fore and aft portions approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aeroplane, with the aft portion closer to such axis,-and an intermediate portion inclining towards said axis from the said fore to the said aft portion of the girder. From this girder the airfoil ex-' tends on either side and has. a longitudinal configuration approximating that of the girder, except that the longitudinal .lines thereof are modified by an upward and outward camber of the airfoil on' each side of the said girder, which camber is reduced along the length of the said airfoil so that the aft portion thereof is more or less flat.

The said airfoil is of substantial width above the center of gravity of the aeroplane and tapers in span from the forward portion of the airfoil to the trailing edge thereof. Beneath the forward part of the main airfoil I prefer to arrange a second airfoil con-' forming in contour to the underside of the main airfoil and extending from beneath the forward end of such main airfoil to a region approximately intermediate of the declining portion of the main airfoil.

All of which is more particularly described and ascertained hereinafter, by way of example, having reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation of an aeroplane embodying the said'invention Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same Figure3 is a plan of the samcz Figure 4 is a similar view to Figure 1, with part of the main airfoil broken away, and the longitudinal girder thereof shown in section; Figure 5 is a section of the .main airfoil taken on theline 5"--5", Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a sectional plan taken on the line 6"-6",'Figure1; Figure 7 is a fragmentary transverse section of the main airfoil taken on the line- 7" Figure 1; and

Figure 8 is a similar section taken on the line 8" 8", Figure 1.

Similar characters of reference indicate similar parts in the several figures of the drawings, and Figures 7 and 8 are drawn to a larger scale than the remaining figures of the said drawings.

1 indicates the fuselage of an aeroplane, the longitudinal axis of which is approximately indicated by the line AA, and which may be of any shape or design to suit the purposes to which the aeroplane is to be put, and 2 indicates generally a main airfoil beneath which a fuselage is suspended when in flight by vertical centrally disposed stays 3 and 4.

The said main airfoil includes a central span or girder 5 comprising three portions "5, 5 and 5 forming the complete girder structure, 5 and 5 being the fore and aft portions, and 5 the intermediate portion of the said span or girder.

On either side of said girder 5 extend the lateral Wings 6 of the main airfoil 2 to their laterallimits 7, the said airfoil having its greatest width in a plane approximately vertical of the center of gravity of the aeroplane, which in the illustrated device is presumed to be somewhere in the region of the point a Figure 1, and the said airfoil tapers in the span towards the trailing edge 8 thereof in the manner indicated in plan in Figure 3, and has its entering edge brought somewhat to a point 9 at the forward end of the spine or girder 5 whereby there is a certain sweep back to the said. entering edge of the said inain airfoil.

It will be noted that the forward and aft parts 5* and 5 of the girder are approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis A-A of the aeroplane, with the said aft portion 5 closer to said axis than the forward portion of the girder, and that the intermediate portion 5 of the said girder is inclined towards the said axis AA from the forward portion 5 to the said aft portion, 5 of the said girder From Figure 5, it will also be seen that the general longitudinal contour of the airfoil follows that of the central girder, although the inclination of the longitudinally intermediate portion is somewhat accentuated, due to the lateral camber of the wings of the airfoil as illustrated in Figure 7 but the said airfoil throughout its length has the general characteristic that its forward portion is approximately parallel to the axis of the aeroplane, its intermediate portion dips towards the axis of the aeroplane and the aft portion of the airfoil is again approximately parallel to the said axis of the aeroplane but closer thereto than is the forward part of the airfoil.

The camber of the planes of the airfoil results in a substantial central depression or valley 10 on the upper side of the airfoil between the lateral planes thereof and in a decided downwardly extending projection-11 extending longitudinally and medially of the underside of the said airfoil, forming virtually a keel along the underside of the said airfoil, dividing the air current therebeneath into two parts and tending to distribute the pressure thereof outwardly along the airfoil, equalizing the volume of air beneath each plane of the airfoil and tending to secure great balance and stability of the airfoil as a result.

It will also be seen that the struts or hangers 3 and 4 by which the fuselage is suspended from the airfoil when the aeroplane is in flight form a rigid and effective support for the said fuselage as well as a rigid truss structure for the airfoil.

This form of airfoil has a natural gliding quality which renders the aeroplane vary stable in'flight and the primary lifting effort is effected by the forward part of the airfoil, the downwardly inclined intermediate part thereof effecting a, lifting and support of the aft portion of the aeroplane and a fore and aft balance thereof, while the aft portion of the airfoilsimply glides over and utilizes the supporting effect of air under pressure passing beneath the airfoil and renders the vacuum at the trailing edge of the airfoil which ordinarily results, thereby increasing the efficiency of the aeroplane.

Such a design of airfoil makes it possible to carry loads at a smaller expenditure of power than is generally obtained in aeroplanes as ordinarily constructed, and admits of greater control-in landing and in case of engine trouble than is usual, due to the superior. gliding properties of such as airfoil. The lateral camber and longitudinal contour of the airfoil provides a natural channel for the air between the airfoil on opposite sides of the central downwardly projecting portion or keel of the said airfoil.

17 are secondary airfoils extending laterally from the fuselage of the aeroplane and longitudinally from beneath the forward end of the upper airfoil to beneath the intermediate portion thereof and having a longitudinal contour approximating that of the extreme outer edge of the said main airfoil. 12 are ailerons provided in said main airfoil, 13 the tail fins, 14- the elevators, and 15 the rudder, all of which are of well known type and mode of operation and do not require further description herein.

means? claims without departing from the essential features of the said invention, wherefore it is desired that the specification and drawingsbe read as merely illustrative and not in a limiting sense, except as necessitated by the prior art. I

. What I claim is i 1. In an aeroplane, a fuse1age,'and an airfoil abovefsaid fuselage, said airfoil being secured to said fuselage intermediate of the span of said airfoil, and said airfoil including fore and aft portions approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of the-plane and an intermediate portion connecting said fore and aft portions, said intermediate portion declining rearwar'dly towards the longitudinal axis of said aeroplane, said airfoil including a central longitudinal girder, or spine, the fore and aft portions 0 which are approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aeroplane and the intermediate portion of which declines rearwardly towards said axis. 7 r

2. An aeroplane according to claim 1, wherein the said airfoil is upwardly and outwardl cambered from said girder with the latera portions of said airfoil having a longitudinal configuration ap roximating that of said girder but modifie by the camber of said airfoil. f

3. An aeroplane according to claim 1, wherein said airfoil has a length'substantially greater than 'its span and is of sub stantial width above the center of gravity of the aeroplane, said airfoil tapering in'span to the trailing edge thereof.

4. In an aeroplane, a fuselage and an airfoil arranged thereabove, said airfoil bein of greater len th than its span and cambere upwardly an outwardly from its center whereby a substantial central longitudinal depression is formedin the upper side of said airfoil, a downwardly extending central lon itudinal projeotlon of greater depth than sai depression providedon' its underside,

and a central longitudinal girder incorporated in said airfoil between the depressed portion of the upper side and the projection of theundersida' In testimony whereof I aflix m BERT M S ICK.

si nature. 

